‘Miles to go’: Lakshadweep MP Faizal on infrastructure challenges plaguing union territory

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her Interim Budget speech announced that the government will undertake infrastructure and port connectivity projects in the islands including Lakshadweep.

“To address the emerging fervour for domestic tourism, projects for port connectivity, tourism infrastructure, and amenities will be taken up on our islands, including Lakshadweep,” she had said.

Sitharaman's announcement comes a month after Lakshadweep grabbed limelight, first with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit there, but also due to the diplomatic row between India and Maldives.

Lakshadweep's MP Mohammed Faizal, who belongs to Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, spoke to Hindustan Times' Kumkum Chadha on the response the UT has received and the challenges it faces in terms of infrastructure development.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:-

Infrastructure challenges faced by Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep MP Faizal said a lot of things need to be done on the infrastructural front. “There are two ways to connect with Lakshadweep, via ships and by air. At present there is only one flight arriving at Agatt Island. We need to increase flight frequencies and also encourage private air operators to come to Lakshadweep.”

Faizal also spoke on accommodation challenges, vis a vis availability of rooms for travellers to stay in the island. “We have very limited number of rooms here. The resorts of Lakshadweep administration are in a dilapidated state. The administration is going ahead with a different kind of attitude. There is an uninhabited land where there was no claim by the administration. Now, the present administrator is claiming that the land belongs to the government and the people have no right on that. All the issues have to be sorted through talks. It is our internal matter,” he said.

'Local people must be taken into confidence'

Is Lakshadweep ready for a change? When asked, Faizal said the local population must be taken into confidence.

“There should be no hasty step by the administration to snatch the land away from people who have owned it for centuries. If this is ensured, it is not a far-reaching goal. It will be an attainable goal for both the Indian government and Lakshadweep,” he said.

Developing Lakshadweep islands as tourist destination fraught with risks?

Faizal said that the land which was supposed to be developed by an authority, raised questions in the minds of the people.

"Secondly, the island is formed of corals. The corals which grows under it, turned into sand and makes the present island. It took centuries for the corals to transform into the present form," he said.

On Maldives ministers remark against PM Modi

On his remarks criticising Maldivian ministers' statements against PM Modi, Faizal said,"I am not talking like BJP. I made the remarks on PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep. He advocated himself as the brand ambassador for Lakshadweep tourism, and Maldives has nothing to say."

“The PM is advocating for my constituency. I am thankful to him, and Maldives could have avoided the comment. Our prime minister being called naive or insulted is not a welcome sign for anybody. As the citizens of India, we must oppose that,” Faizal told HT.

Why did Maldives jump into the issue?

When asked why Maldives jumped into the issue when it was not even mentioned by the prime minister, Faizal said,"There could be two reasons: The first one could be India's bilateral relations with the new Maldivian government. The second reason could be Lakshadweep as a possible competitor for Maldives in tourism in coming years."

Maldives following anti-India, pro-China policy?

Maldives' new president Mohammed Muizzu is said to be inclined towards China. When asked about Male regime's pro-Beijing stance, Faizal said,"I am not in a position to comment on this. I am talking about the relations which we (Lakshadweep) has maintained with Maldives. One of the islands in Lakshadweep called Minicoy has people whose relatives are in Maldives."